India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (312 page)

Traveling on the road to or from Jodhpur, you will no doubt come across black buck, a delicate antelope with spiraling horns, and Khejri, the tough, desert-surviving trees that provide shelter and sustenance for the desert tribes and the black buck. Both animal and tree are sacred to the Bishnoi tribes, so much so that when an 18th-century Jodhpur ruler sent his army out to clear Khejri trees to make way for a new road, the Bishnoi women clung to the trees in protest—363 women died with their arms wrapped around their beloved Khejris before the Jodhpur king intervened. You can still visit the Bishnoi on “village safaris” offered by just about every hotel and guesthouse in town.

Umaid Bhawan Palace
This splendid palace is as much a top attraction as far and away the best place to stay in Jodphur (see below). Situated on another raised outcrop, and commanding the south eastern horizon, with broad views and manicured grounds creating an almost rural ambience, it was built by Maharaja Umaid Singh (the current Maharaja’s Gaj Singh’s father who now occupies a third of the palace with his family) as a large scale poverty-relief exercise to aid his drought-stricken subjects with employment. With 347 rooms, including a cinema, it was at the time the largest private residence in the world—a vivid reminder of the decadence the Rajput rulers enjoyed during the British Raj. Designed by Henry Lanchester, a great admirer of Lutyens (the man who designed the great New Delhi buildings), it was commenced in 1929, took 3,000 laborers 15 years to complete, and remains one of the best examples of the Indo-Saracenic Art Deco style, topped with a massive dome which rises 56m (184 ft.) high, beyond which the buildings are perfectly symmetrical. Its original Art Deco furniture and fittings were en route from Maples in London and were sunk by a German U-boat during the height of WW2 but the ever-resourceful Maharaja instead utilized the services of a Polish refugee, Stefan Norblin, who completed the interiors true to the grand Art Deco theme. After the spectacle of the 32m (105-ft.) central dome in the Palm Court (where you really need to pause and let your eyes drink it all in), you’ll want to spend some time exploring the various public spaces (decorated in Art Deco furniture and fittings), swanning up and down the sweeping marble staircases, and heading down to the spa and hypnotic indoor pool—which will transport you to back to the 1940s with its bold blue zodiac-sign mosaics.

Guests are taken on a personal tour of the entire palace (excluding the private residence of the royal family); ask if you can see the Maharaja and Maharani suites, which have not been renovated but represent another opportunity to peek back in time. After your tour, stop to sip a coffee at The Pillars, from where you enjoy a spellbinding view of the fort in the distance (note that nonguests are technically required to pay a cover charge even when dining at The Pillars, though this will be deducted from your bill). There is also a museum that features photographs of the construction and a model of the building, as well as items collected by the maharaja’s ancestors.

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur.
0291/251-0101.
Admission to hotel restaurants Rs 2,000 payable at reception, and deductible from your dining bill. Museum: Rs 50. Daily 9am–5pm.

WHERE TO STAY & DINE

If you want to experience the medieval spirit of daily life within the Old City (and catch the early morning market vibe), your best bets are the quaint Pal Haveli or at the other end of the price range the mod, expensive boutique hotel Raas (both reviewed below).

If you’d prefer to escape the chaos of the Old City, head for the outskirts, to the newer part of town (20 min. from the fort) where there are a number of well-run, respectable guesthouses and hotels, of which we like Ratan Villas, Devi Bhawan and Ajit Bhawan (in ascending order of price, all reviewed below). Aside from these there is the reliable
Taj Hari Mahal
(5 Residency Rd.;
0291/243-9700;
www.tajhotels.com
; from Rs 14,000 for a well-appointed superior pool-facing room), a smart, spacious hotel built in the style of a Marwari palace. Aimed predominantly at the wealthy business market, this will suit those who want to be cocooned in a bland modern hotel with professional service but at the expense of character; if you can afford it, you’ll be far better off at the Taj-managed Umaid Bhawan Palace (reviewed below).

Jodhpur is not renowned for its restaurants; you’re pretty much limited to dining in hotels. Even if you’re not overnighting at Umaid Bhawan, spend a few hours at
The
Pillars,
the hotel’s informal cafe-restaurant where you sit at the base of a cavernous colonnaded veranda that steps down to the palace lawns—get there before the sun goes down to watch the almost surreal changing hues of the sky over the fort, have a drink or two, and then head down the marbled corridor to Risala and sample a selection of their delicious kebabs and signature Lal Maans.

Widely regarded as the best tourist restaurant in town, with a great nighttime atmosphere (make sure they’re serving in the garden),
On the Rocks
(next to Ajit Bhawan;
0291/510-2701
or -7880) is famous for its barbecue dishes—skewers of spicy vegetables,
paneer,
or meat tenderized in a yogurt-based marinade and cooked over an open fire. For a more leisurely dinner, with decent Indian food and enchanting views of the Fort, head to
Indique,
the rooftop restaurant at Pal Haveli.

Ajit Bhawan
This recently renovated resort-style hotel is a hugely popular place, and some may prefer its more laid-back, down-home atmosphere to Umaid’s plush palace. It’s also significantly cheaper and has a wonderful outdoor pool and a good restaurant. Built at the turn of the century for Maharaj Ajit Singh (younger brother of the Maharaja Umaid Singh), it incorporates crenelated castlelike walls and traditional Hindustani elements, as well a variety of rooms depending on budget and mood: from the luxury thatched “Bishnoi” stone cottages, with their own little garden and patios, to a selection of gorgeous luxury tents, to slick executive rooms. Decor is the work of Raghavendra Rathore, the owner’s son and one of the country’s most celebrated designers. (Car enthusiasts may dig the fleet of 10 vintage cars on offer—the oldest Buicks and Fords date from 1928.)

Near Circuit House, Jodhpur 342 006.
0291/251-1410.
Fax 0291/251-0674.
www.ajitbhawan.com
. 54 units. Rs 9,000 deluxe double; Rs 10,000 executive double; Rs 15,000 luxury double; Rs 30,000 suite. Rs 2,000 extra bed. Breakfast included. Taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; pool; airport transfers from Rs 400; currency exchange; vintage cars for hire; doctor-on-call; evening folk dancing; health club; Internet (Rs 100/hr.); room service; safaris—horse, camel, and village; spa. In room: A/C, TV, minibar, Wi-Fi in some rooms (Rs 100/hr.).